🙂A single person spends $772 per month in Ligao City vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,197 per month in Ligao City vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,622 per month in Ligao City vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂Ligao City is about 25% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both Ligao City and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Ligao City42% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ligao City
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.65₱225
$5.92COP 21.4K
-38.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.44₱1,075
$32.75COP 118.2K
-46.75%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.39₱209
$7.20COP 26.0K
-52.92%
Cappuccino
$2.48₱153
$1.70COP 6,140
45.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83₱51.2
$1.10COP 3,966
-24.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39₱24.24
$0.72COP 2,605
-45.83%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.35₱83.3
$1.67COP 6,022
-19.16%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.16₱133
$3.10COP 11.2K
-30.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ligao City
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.82₱113
$1.06COP 3,809
71.70%
White Bread(500g)
$1.23₱75.6
$1.25COP 4,497
-1.60%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.94₱57.7
$1.39COP 5,022
-32.37%
Eggs
$2.09₱129
$2.26COP 8,168
-7.52%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.09₱499
$4.33COP 15.6K
86.84%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.15₱256
$5.84COP 21.1K
-28.94%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.55₱466
$8.83COP 31.9K
-14.50%
Apples(1kg)
$2.94₱181
$2.24COP 8,099
31.25%
Banana(1kg)
$1.59₱97.9
$1.08COP 3,882
47.22%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.72₱168
$1.53COP 5,522
77.78%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.56₱96.1
$1.37COP 4,950
13.87%
Potato(1kg)
$2.24₱138
$1.13COP 4,078
98.23%
Onion(1kg)
$2.55₱157
$1.12COP 4,036
127.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.11₱68.8
$0.85COP 3,057
30.59%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76₱47.13
$0.91COP 3,281
-16.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.81₱173
$2.33COP 8,414
20.60%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.05₱497
$11.13COP 40.2K
-27.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15₱71.1
$1.19COP 4,309
-3.36%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97₱122
$2.37COP 8,553
-16.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Ligao City
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.28₱17.42
$0.79COP 2,838
-64.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.13COP 148.5K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.82₱50.6
$1.44COP 5,184
-43.06%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.22₱13.49
$1.91COP 6,901
-88.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.15₱133
$8.02COP 28.9K
-73.19%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.11₱68.4
$0.94COP 3,385
18.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K₱1.7M
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
49.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.7K₱1.3M
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
-22.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ligao City
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$112₱6,914
$84.0COP 303.1K
33.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.68₱2,016
$9.60COP 34.7K
240.42%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.96₱1,663
$24.16COP 87.2K
11.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ligao City
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$33.45₱2,063
$25.88COP 93.4K
29.25%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.46₱275
$19.04COP 68.7K
-76.58%
Cinema Ticket
$5.83₱360
$3.92COP 14.1K
48.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ligao City
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$153₱9,422
$306COP 1.1M
-50.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,357₱268.7K
$5,919COP 21.4M
-26.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ligao City
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.15₱2,785
$57.9COP 209.1K
-22.03%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.57₱1,639
$31.82COP 114.9K
-16.50%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$74.1₱4,573
$99.9COP 360.6K
-25.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$54.0₱3,328
$107COP 386.8K
-49.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ligao City
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$270₱16.6K
$487COP 1.8M
-44.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$179₱11.0K
$368COP 1.3M
-51.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$591₱36.5K
$826COP 3.0M
-28.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$399₱24.6K
$716COP 2.6M
-44.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,374₱146.4K
$2,925COP 10.6M
-18.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$333₱20.5K
$1,407COP 5.1M
-76.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ligao City
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$287₱17.7K
$546COP 2.0M
-47.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.67
13.43
-50.34%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ligao City: April 27, 2026
Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $270 in Ligao City versus $487 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 90% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Ligao City versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Ligao City vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Ligao City vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Ligao City?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,158 per month in Ligao City and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ligao City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Ligao City vs Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $772 in Ligao City and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $153 per month in Ligao City and $306 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Ligao City or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ligao City, where all-in costs run around $772, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Ligao City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Ligao City or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ligao City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Ligao City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Ligao City vs other spots: cost of living compared